With the unconventional shape of the Aptera, I'd imagine driving it through a car wash might pose some difficulties. Typically wax is applied to help protect the paint from the sun, and with the solar option where leaving the car outside in the sun would be desirable, one would imagine that the paint job might be more susceptible to solar UV induced damage. If one were to apply commercially available car waxes, chances are that some will get on the solar panels -- and if a commercial car wash service is used, this is likely to be unavoidable / inevitable.
Is getting auto wax on solar panels a good idea?
What would be the solar efficiency impact of having a wax layer?
I work on the marine industry. We use a product called 303 as a UV protectorent that works well.
If you are following you should know....
They only have two Alpha development vehicles on the road, and they announced that they will advance to their Beta development vehicle next.
As you could imagine, progressing Alpha through Gamma development vehicles is a stepwise approach to get them to the final materials specs for the production vehicle, end of 2021
I could answer some of yourmcincerns:
They are still looking the plastic that will be used on the Aptera for production.
The Aptera body IS NOT painted but vinyl wrapped, so whomever they finally decide to use would have care instructions and those manufactures have car wash statements. 3M is a big supplier of vinyl wraps
I live in the SW ( solar zone 8!) and have some primitive roads to travel, so I have my plan based on my successes on my conventional painted vehicles with some plastic components, which I 🤞 will translate for use in Aptera’s exterior finishes.
I wash my vehicles about once a month
I only water power wash my vehicles with water from a power washer, which is never more than 1200 psi, sprayed using a broad spray pattern and about six inches away from the surface. If there is not much dried on dirt, even baby shampoo could be used, but I have not needed that, to date. I avoid driving during monsoon, because of mud!
I do not experience chemicals used for de-icing roads
I finished using up all my old stock of petroleum based waxes ( carnauba wax ) and I am trying, with good early success , some polymer protectants.
But I have never owned a vinyl wrap vehicle.
I have had for ten years a 3M clear vinyl on my last painted car. This was back east with winter exposure. After washing that car I used a clear spray protectant call Plexus,which was easy to apply and I was happy with that protection. This car did go through a car wash but not often.
That car here, in its tenth year with under 200,000 miles . Clear vinyl was only on places of this painted car, where debris hit, like bumper, hood, behind wheels, plastic light lenses, etc...
Re car washes?
IMHO
The Aptera is such a manageable size vehicel I would wash myself or use a hand wash option
Why?
Can I be sure the car wash will be compatible with the three wheel track and wheel covers of the Aptera?
Most car washes have moved from brush rollers to other softer cleansing roller,wheel materials, but every material retains some debris, which I would be concerned “ on my Aptera” to degrade some finishes. ( Personal feeling )
Re. solar cells. I never rarely clean my PV solar panels, both back on the east coast and in the dusty SW. They are angled and get rinsed in the rain, not ao much in the SW. Of course home PV panels, use glass not plastic. Those panels were much higher efficiency but I didn’t realize a big difference dusty vs rinsed.
I might try Plexus on Aptera’s plastic cover solar cells, once I know what plastic they settle on. But their suggestions would be my first choice
I hope some of this “experience dump” helps?
I don't think it will have any impact on the solar panels. I usually wax my own panels to allow water and dirt to bead up and promote cleaning. The biggest difference is if one is using a real wax, or using a "wax coating" which is usually a polymer coating.